Lighting and Color Ideas for Cost-Effective DIY Curb Appeal

First impressions matter, and there’s no denying that the first impression of one’s home consists of its curb appeal. When my husband and I purchased our fixer-upper home last fall, we had so many internal updates to make that we focused our attention and our budget on our inside renovations first. Only after we completed the majority of the must-do items did we turn our attention to the nice-to-do things on our list.

First up: The front porch.

It’s not too difficult to understand why we wanted to address some aesthetic shortcomings when you consider the “Before” picture: We were able to pack a major style punch in updating the porch by choosing stylistic enhancements that didn’t force us to suffer the simultaneous wallet blow. For just a few hundred dollars, we:
• Painted: We transformed the entire porch by painting the front door a brilliant shade of aqua in high gloss enamel paint and refinished the bare wooden floor and steps with a glossy gray porch and deck enamel paint, a couple of shades darker than the house itself. Finally, we refreshed the entire entrance by applying a fresh coat of bright white trim paint to everything else.
• Planted: We framed out the front door with tropical pink pops from twin Hibiscus plants, hung two beautiful Boston ferns on either side of the porch railing, and we placed double Mandevilla climbing vines at the foot of the steps.
• Replaced: We swapped out the rusted, miniscule porch light with something more befitting of our island home just outside of Charleston, South Carolina.

Here’s a closer shot of the sad little light before the makeover:

The only thing this poor little guy had going for it was the energy-efficient CFL light bulb.
In terms of its replacement, not only were we able to find something to match the historic charm of Charleston, but we were also able to keep it under budget: We found this fantastic hanging lantern at The Home Depot for less than $50.And by installing it ourselves, we were able to keep our DIY porch renovation costs to a minimum. To help you with your own DIY installation, here are some tips to keep in mind:
• Always observe proper safety precautions when working with electrical components. If you have never installed a light fixture yourself, be sure to employ the skills of someone who has experience with electrical installations. Watch closely and you should be able to do it yourself the next time.
• Make sure all power to the fixture is turned off before beginning this project. Check it with a voltage tester to be certain.
• Most hanging lanterns (like ours) come equipped with extra lengths of chain and wire so that you can adjust the height to suit your space. Pre-position your fixture and check the height before removing any links.
• When hanging an outdoor light – although the height of your door may vary from someone else’s – hang the light low enough that you have sufficient light to see on your porch without blinding your guests, but high enough that you don’t run the risk of a swinging light hitting any heads on their way into your home. For us, that meant the base of the light was positioned just below the top of the door.
And while you’re updating your outdoor spaces, don’t forget about your other exterior lights.

Check out these miserable wall sconces positioned just outside of our garage:

In addition to being about one corroded inch away from literally falling off of the side of the house, these lights had become home to several families of yellow jackets. After eliminating that threat, we wasted no time in replacing them with these coordinating lanterns:Although they are not from the same collection as the porch lantern, these lights are from the same manufacturer and in the same weathered/antique bronze finish, so they merge together seamlessly. And to top it all off, we were able to purchase these in a 2-pack for less than $40.
At the end of our outdoor revamp, for less than $90, we were able to completely customize our house’s exterior lighting scheme and revitalize our curb appeal. Now I no longer have to worry about the first impression my home makes on visitors!
What other cost-effective curb appeal updates have you made to enhance the value of your home?

Rheney Williams lives in Charleston, S.C., and has been writing about many of the DIY projects in her new home for Home Depot. Rheney’s outdoor lighting efforts have included touching up her landscape lighting around the yard, as well as her recent front porch lighting renovations. A large selection of outdoor lights, including the styles that Rheney used for her front porch, can be found on the Home Depot website.